The Modern Scholar: A Way With Words Part III: Grammar for Adults

Since others judge you by the way you speak, the intricacies of grammar, in fact, should not be relegated to the realm of fussy "guardians of the language," but are rather essential clues all can employ to communicate more exactly. In such a light, this course forms an invaluable guide for everyone from all fields of interest.

The Modern Scholar: Way with Words: Writing Rhetoric and the Art of Persuasion

Esteemed professor Michael D. C. Drout brings his expertise in literary studies to the subject of rhetoric. From history-altering political speeches to friendly debates at cocktail parties, rhetoric holds the power to change opinions, spark new thoughts, and ultimately change the world.

The Modern Scholar: A Way With Words, Part II: Approaches to Literature

In A Way with Words II: Approaches to Literature, Michael D.C. Drout leads a series of lectures that focus on the big questions of literature. Throughout, he introduces the major schools of literary and critical thought and employs illuminating examples from the world's most important literary works. This course proves a wonderful exploration of one of humankind's most cherished pursuits.

Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammar - but she's also determined to make the process as painless as possible. One year ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. More than seven million episodes have now been downloaded, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.

Easy Pronunciation

Are you looking to improve your English pronunciation or the way that your English sounds to others? No matter what your level of English is - or if you are simply trying to lessen a strong regional accent - this program will help you sound more natural and communicate with greater ease and confidence.

Easy American Idioms: Hundreds of Idiomatic Expressions to Give You an Edge in English

Easy American Idioms cuts through the confusion and teaches natural-sounding conversational English. This set contains a 64-page book and four 60-minute audio sections. It focuses on everyday situations: meeting people, expressing likes and dislikes, working, shopping, socializing, sports, television, going out and more.

A Way with Words IV: Understanding Poetry

In part IV of this fascinating series, Professor Drout submerses listeners in poetry's past, present, and future. Addressing such poetic luminaries as Milton,Wordsworth, Shelley, and Keats, these lectures explain in simple terms what poetry is while following its development through the centuries.

Building a Better Vocabulary

Building a Better Vocabulary offers an intriguing look at the nuts and bolts of English, teaches you the etymology and morphology - or the history and structure - of words, and delves into the cognitive science behind committing new words to long-term memory. By the end of the 36 enjoyable lectures, you will have a practical framework for continuing to build your vocabulary by discovering new words and fully mastering the nuances of familiar ones.

The Modern Scholar: A History of the English Language

Professor Drout addresses the foundation of language and its connection to specific portions of the brain. The components of language are explained in easy-to-understand terms and the progression of the language from Germanic to Old, Middle, and Modern English is fully illustrated - including such revolutionary language upheavals as those brought about by the Norman Conquest and the Great Vowel Shift.

Modern Scholar: How to Think: The Liberal Arts and Their Enduring Value

In How to Think: The Liberal Arts and Their Enduring Value, Professor Michael D. C. Drout gives an impassioned defense and celebration of the value of the liberal arts. Charting the evolution of the liberal arts from their roots in the educational system of Ancient Rome through the Middle Ages and to the present day, Drout shows how the liberal arts have consistently been "the tools to rule", essential to the education of the leaders of society. Offering a reasoned defense of their continuing value, Drout also provides suggestions for improving the state of the liberal arts in contemporary society.

How to Learn and Memorize English Grammar Rules: Using a Memory Palace Network Specifically Designed for the English Language, Magnetic Memory Series

If you'd like to improve your ability to learn and memorize English grammar principles by as much as 100 percent, 200 percent, even 300 percent (or more) using simple memory techniques that you can learn in 15-20 minutes (or less), then this may be the most important book that you will ever listen to.

Grammar Smart: An Audio Guide to Perfect Usage

The words you use say a lot about you...but the way you put them together says even more. Your grammar makes an immediate - and lasting - impression on your boss, your co-workers, your teachers, and even your friends. We all use grammar, but many of us could use it better. Grammar Smart is a witty, irreverent, and entertaining approach to grammar to help you write and speak with clarity and confidence.

English Pronunciation Program

The Berlitz English Pronunciation Program introduces sounds, stress, rhythm, and intonation in Standard American English. It features sounds in context and uses a listen and repeat approach for maximum practice of basic pronunciation skills. Sounds are stressed in familiar words and sentences to facilitate learning.

99 Essential Business Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: Succeed in an English-Speaking Business Environment

Without knowing idioms, it's impossible to fully integrate into the business world. Native English speakers use idioms and phrasal verbs in their daily vocabulary to express their opinions on important matters - and so will you after learning these 99 essential phrases. This book features only the most commonly used idioms within a workplace setting and includes FIVE real-world example sentences for each of them.

Official TOEIC Vocabulary 3000: Become a True Master of TOEIC Vocabulary...Quickly and Effectively!

Introducing TOEIC Vocabulary 3000: The most comprehensive audio course for TOEIC Vocabulary on the market. Learn how to master proper spelling, pronunciation, definitions, synonyms/antonyms through the use of these unique audio exercises.

Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft

Why do some lengthy sentences flow effortlessly while others stumble along? Why are you captivated by the writing of particular authors? How can you craft sentences that reflect your unique outlook on the world? This lively, 24-lecture course introduces you to the myriad ways in which we think about, talk about, and write sentences. Reviving the sentence-oriented approach to studying writing, Professor Landon provides a greater context for what makes sentences great - and how you can apply these methods to your own writing.

Publisher's Summary

Who eats shoots and leaves? A panda? Or a gunman at a restaurant? The answer to this all depends on - you guessed it - grammar. In the third part of his extraordinary Way with Words series, Professor Drout continues to explore humanity's intimate association with language, here delving into the finer points of English grammar. Since others judge you by the way you speak, the intricacies of grammar, in fact, should not be relegated to the realm of fussy "guardians of the language," but are rather essential clues all can employ to communicate more exactly. In such a light, this course forms an invaluable guide for everyone from all fields of interest.

This course contains an enjoyable and interesting series of lectures on English grammer. It is narrated by its author, Professor Michael Drout, who explains the history of English grammer; and its rules, conventions and contradictions in a thoroughly humouress, light-hearted and logical manner. I would recommend this course to anyone seeking to improve their use and knowledge of English grammer, whether or not you may be a native English speaker or learning English as a second language.

This audio book helped me understand grammar from a different perspective. Professor Drout is probably one of the few people in the world who can explain grammar from a historical point and BE FUNNY!!!
This audio book has a website companion where you read his lectures and take an exam. I learned and was entertained. I recommend this book for not only non native English speakers like myself, but to anyone who wants to get grammar once and for all.

I never thought anyone could be entertaining and teach grammar at the same time! I will be reading everything else available from Michael Drout. If you need to know grammar and think you'll hate, it this book is for you.

This audio course is for anyone who has ever suffered from grammar anxiety. Prof. Drout gives special dispensation to place prepositions at the end of sentences, to use split infinitives, and conjunctions at the beginning of sentences. He also gives you a solid defense against those grammar sticklers that make others fret over syntax: ???keep your imported Latin grammar rules to yourself!???

Thanks to Prof. Drout I now understand how to correctly use ???I??? and ???me,??? ???that??? and ???which,??? ???who??? and ???whom.??? With generous references to the history of our exquisite language and a delightful sense of humor, Prof. Drout makes all the grammar worries go away. You???ll understand why parts of our language are strange and confusing, and gain a new appreciation for those trying to learn English as a second language.

Prof. Drout reads excerpts from Beowulf and Chaucer, so you???ll hear the musical roots of our wonderful language. He explains that the evolution of English is more about conquerors, and less about scholarly progression. He discusses past scholars who have declared Latin the perfect language and, therefore, tried to force English to conform to Latin grammar. This has resulted is some of the most frustrating aspects of English.

He explains that English grammar is an art, not a science. For this reason, he rails against grammar checkers, ???let those Seattle trolls keep their green squiggly lines to themselves.???

I highly recommend this course. You???ll actually understand what a participle is and why it shouldn???t dangle. You???ll comprehend gerunds, infinitives, and modals. Not only will you gain a solid command of English, but it happens in just 7 hours; that???s amazing!

I found this book at audible main page and the image of the red panda and Grammar together made me curious... I checked just by curiosity because I never found grammar interesting... in fact I used to hate grammar. But it enjoyed so much the preview that I bought and guess what? I enjoyed so much that I can say I love grammar now! This book is a lot of fun to learn... You will learn as much as you laugh! But this is not only about fun! Michael D. C. Drout (1968- ) is the Prentice Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College and an author and editor specializing in Anglo-Saxon and medieval literature, science fiction and fantasy, especially the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and Ursula K. LeGuin. Drout holds a Ph.D. in English from Loyola University Chicago (May 1997), an M.A. in English from the University of Missouri (May 1993), and an M.A. in Communication from Stanford University (May 1991). Want to know more? Please buy this book and you will never regret. I'm listening for the 4th time !

I have always given top ratings to Michael D.C. Drout's entries in the Modern Scholar series. Not this one.

Before reading it, I wondered exactly how much grammar could be packed into 8 hours of lecture. The answer is more than I expected and less. Drout includes a lot of history of the English language in a number of the early chapters. He defines many English constructs that do not need defining or clarification and glosses over parts of speech that could have received more attention. It is obvious that he took much of the content of these lectures from other lectures on other subjects. Having read a fair amount of Drout, I have found that he does this a lot. It's almost like filler that he could have taken the time and space to use more prudently. Drout is on an ego trip and totally taken up by himself in these lectures.

The botom line is that I would not recommend this book. If you are interested in English grammar, get Mignon Fogarty's Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. It is fun and a masterpiece in writing. Or, if you are a podcast kind of person, subscribe to Grammar Girl's: Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing on iTunes. It doesn't get any better than this. I'd give Grammar Girl 10 stars.

Drout describes in a very interesting way the elements of the speech and most (if not all) the rules you need to get a good handle on the english language. His narrative is so engaging that I dare to say it is almost hypnotic. Among the things he talks about are the elements of speech, language history, transformational grammar and more, everything seasoned with his delightful humor and geeky bits of medieval history. His reading of Bewolf is amazing.

I needed to ensure that I knew when to use "its" or "it's", "who" or "whom", "and I" or "and me", and avoid other easily made mistakes in the English language. Michael Drout not only provides the answers but gives tips on how to remember them, backing up his information with interesting and often entertaining stories about the history of English and how we came to have the words and usage that we have today.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

worthing, west sussex United Kingdom

8/3/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"A Way With Words Part III"

What didn’t you like about the narrator’s performance?

The author narrates, which is unfortunate, as, for my British ears, both his American accent, and humour, I found jarring.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I had to listen to the author in small sittings.

Any additional comments?

The content is excellent, so if you are happy with the narration, then you will enjoy the book.

1 of 3 people found this review helpful

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